Year: 2014

The faculty and staff of the University Libraries wish you pleasant and relaxing Winter Break and a happy New Year! Congratulations to the December 2014 graduates and their families. For our interim hours, please click here. Don’t forget to visit our exhibition, “From Active Duty to Veteran: Honoring Military Service in America,” on view in the rotunda and on the fourth floor of McWherter Library until January 16.

The Libraries continues to encourage and support undergraduate research at the University of Memphis. This semester, the Libraries was part of two honors research forums taught by Dr. Pam Dennis and Cody Behles. Professor Dennis’ class, “Surviving the Research Blues: A Historical Approach,” focused on local history and civil rights issues. The students consulted the Libraries’ special collections and other primary resources to inform their final projects, which they presented at the December meeting of the West Tennessee Historical Society. Professor Behles introduced his students to issues concerning scholarly communication in the 21st century. The class spent time in the Memphis and Shelby County Room at the Memphis Public Library examining and mapping communication networks of Memphians throughout history. For more information about undergraduate research on campus, visit the web site of QuaesitUM, a peer-reviewed annual publication that showcases students’ work in all disciplines.

Dr. Dennis and her UNHP 1100 students

We’re pleased to announce we have subscribed to Browzine, an app which allows users to access our paid electronic periodical content through their mobile devices in a display that emulates physical bookshelves. Thank you to all across campus who participated in the trial; your feedback was appreciated. If you have not already, download the app and follow these instructions to start browsing the Libraries’ collection of journals! Feel free to contact Cody Behles (cbehles@memphis.edu) with any questions.

Finally, the University Libraries is thrilled to welcome Athena the tigress back to her home in front of McWherter Library. Athena had been away receiving much needed repairs, and she returns to the University of Memphis as a powerful symbol of wisdom. We thank artist Pam Cobb and the Friends of the University Libraries for their generous support of her care.

We look forward to serving our University of Memphis communities in 2015!

The University Libraries proudly presents “From Active Duty to Veteran: Honoring Military Service in America,” an exhibition of letters, maps, photographs, pamphlets, oral histories, posters, and ephemera from the Libraries’ special collections and government publications departments. Displays are located on the first and fourth floors of McWherter Library and will be on view until January 16. Click here for the Libraries’ hours.

The exhibition was the focus of a special Veterans Day lecture, “War, Peace, History, and Memory: Military Service in the American Experience,” presented by historian and cataloging librarian Dr. Mark Danley in McWherter Library. Danley, who helped choose materials from the collections to include in the displays, challenged our collective tendency to regard American military history as a narrative that merely “goes from war to war.” This simplified version of our experience, Danley argued, causes us to downplay the violence faced by our military personnel during other time periods of apparent peace (like the Cold War). He suggested as examples the continued casualties on the Demilitarized Zone on the Korean peninsula since 1953.

To illustrate his point further, Danley (a veteran himself) referred to a Press-Scimitar photograph from the Libraries’ special collections taken during the 1971 Veterans Day Parade in Memphis. The poignant image features a Spanish War, a World War I, and Vietnam War veteran standing together, hands clasped. He remarked, however, that even though that grouping was clearly significant, the photographer would likely not think it as significant to capture a meeting between a veteran of the Vera Cruz campaign in 1914, a veteran of the U.S. garrison in Shanghai in the 1920s, and a veteran of the Berlin garrison of the 1960s. The reasons why underscore the point that the reality of American experience with military service is more variegated than common public impressions convey. A question and answer session followed the presentation, which was the final event of the daylong campus celebration of the nation’s veterans lead by the U of M Veterans Resource Center.

Check back shortly to watch a video of Dr. Mark Danley’s full lecture.

In addition to the physical displays in McWherter Library, visitors can access a comprehensive online research guide for additional resources about the time periods covered in the exhibition. We thank the Friends of the University Libraries for their continued support of our exhibitions and programs.

We hope you had a pleasant Fall Break! As the semester progresses, we continue to offer additional ways to connect students and faculty to our resources.

The University Libraries has arranged for a trial of BrowZine, a new app for mobile devices, until November 21, 2014. BrowZine allows users to access our paid electronic periodical content through their mobile devices in a display that emulates physical bookshelves.

Sample screen from BrowZine app

Here’s how to try BrowZine:

From your iPad, iPhone (please note that BrowZine works best on iPad 2 or later), or Android device, download BrowZine from the App Store, Google Play, or Kindle/Amazon store and install it.

When you open BrowZine for the first time, you will see a list of schools. Select the University of Memphis, then enter your user ID and password (same as for other University Libraries’ resources). Choose the subject areas and start browsing! Don’t forget to let us know what you think of BrowZine by leaving a comment on the blog or e-mailing Cody Behles at cbehles@memphis.edu.

The next time you’re in McWherter Library, be sure to browse our two New Additions bookcases located on either side of the Circulation desk. Acquired titles are also posted on our Pinterest page and often highlighted on Twitter and Facebook.

Research question? Keep calm and ask a librarian!

Whether you are working at home or on-campus, the University Libraries’ staff is happy to help with your research. Visit our Ask a Librarian page for a list of FAQs and multiple ways to contact us including text, chat, and e-mail; there’s even a form you can submit if you’re having technical difficulties with the Libraries’ online resources. For writing help, please make an appointment with the Center for Writing and Communication located near the reference desk on the first floor of McWherter Library.

The University Libraries will celebrate national Banned Books Week and the freedom to read September 21-27, 2014. This year, we will focus on comics and graphic novels with special programs and a one-of-a-kind exhibit in McWherter Library. Remember to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages during Banned Books Week and throughout the year for event updates, new resources, research tips, and featured images from our Special Collections.

Webinar: Regional Issues on Banned BooksWednesday, September 24, 11:00 a.m.-noonRoom 226, McWherter Library
Travel to London, South Carolina, Texas and California to learn about efforts to un-ban books. Free and open to the public.

Panel Discussion: Comics and Graphic Novels in the AcademyWednesday, September 24, 3:00-4:30 p.m.Room 226, McWherter Library
Dr. Stephen Tabachnick (Department of English), Dr. Linde Brocato (University Libraries), Dr. Melanie Conroy (Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures), and Esther Saltzman (Department of English) will explore the path to acceptance of the graphic novel in academe. Topics include the history of comics and caricatures, censorship, teaching graphic adaptations of literary works, and cataloging graphic formats for most effective access by all library users. Moderated by Community Engagement Librarian Jennifer Schnabel. Free and open to the public.

Comics/Graphic Novels Meetup for U of M StudentsFriday, September 26, 1:00-2:30 p.m. The Fishbowl (first floor of McWherter Library)
Drop by and meet other students who share an interest in comics and graphic novels! Bring your own comics and novels to inspire discussion or browse the Libraries’ collections on display. Hosted by Library Assistant Casey Parkman. Free and open to all U of M students.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Schnabel at jschnbel@memphis.edu or 901.678.8210.

The faculty and staff in the University Libraries are pleased to welcome you back to campus! We look forward to supporting your research, answering your questions, and offering you a comfortable and stimulating learning environment. Our Fall Semester hours for all branches are posted here, and we will resumeonline chat hours beginning September 2.

In addition to our collection of more than 1.4 million books and e-books, 10 million manuscripts, 10,000+ periodicals, more than 300 databases, and over 600,000 government documents, we are happy to announce new and upcoming programs and services. To reserve spaces and sign up for most workshops and events in the Libraries, you can now use this link! Highlights include:

RefWorks Training Workshops: Learn how to manage your citations and format your paper and bibliography. Full schedule available here.

3D Printing Lab: Students, sign up for a ten-minute training session in the library and you’ll be ready to print in 3D for free!

New Technology: Students can use the new touch-screen monitors in the Fishbowl and in the Learning Commons. Faculty members and students can reserve the Fishbowl for groups of 9-25 here. Coming soon…GoPro cameras!

The Center for Writing and Communication (CWC): The Libraries welcomes Dr. Will Duffy and his talented team of tutors to the first floor of McWherter Library. Now, when you come to the library for research help, you can also polish your writing, editing, and oral communication skills. For more information and to schedule an appointment, please visit the CWC web site.

“From Active Duty to Veteran: Honoring Military Service in America”: The University Libraries will present an exhibition of diaries, letters, photographs, and ephemera from the Preservation and Special Collections department along with Government Publications which tell powerful stories of Americans who served in the armed forces. Displays will be on view November 3-January 16 in the rotunda and on the fourth floor. Accompanying public programs will be announced shortly.

Grab lunch or an espresso from Einstein’s and hang out in McWherter Library. We’re here to help make your semester a success!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest program and collection updates, awesome photos from Special Collections, helpful research tips, and more. Subscribe to the University Libraries’ blog to receive news and events information via e-mail.

The Delta 2014, hosted by writer and filmmaker Willy Bearden, includes an outstanding lineup of speakers and entertainment. The morning will begin with a continental breakfast, followed by presentations by Brooks Museum of Memphis curator Dr. Stanton Thomas on “Carroll Cloar’s Delta,” renowned author Julia Reed on “A Taste of the Delta” and Southern Foodways Alliance assistant director Melissa Hall on “Lebanese Culture in the Delta.” The buffet luncheon at the Holiday Inn will include humorous entertainment by John Pritchard (a shuttle service will be available between Fogelman and the Holiday Inn). The afternoon–comprised of panel sessions held in Fogelman allowing for close interaction with our speakers–will continue with presentations on the blues, genealogy, catfish farming, and more.

Every year, The Delta helps to raise funds for the University Libraries and to support our many educational exhibitions and events. Early bird registration ($65) is available online until May 6; regular registration ($75) is available online until May 30. Reserve your place today!

The Delta has its own Facebook page! Visit us for updated information about the symposium, videos from past conferences, and stunning photos from the Delta region!

Please join us on Tuesday, March 18, 11:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. in the rotunda of McWherter Library as U of M students honor women writers, artists, and activists of the 1960s by reading aloud from speeches, letters, poems, fiction, and government documents. The event is free and open to the public.

Highlights include Betty Friedan’s “The Problem That Has No Name,” Shirley Chisholm’s “The 51% Minority,” Joan Baez’s anti-war letter to the IRS, Nikki Giovanni’s poem “For Saundra,” and Daisy Bates’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington. The program will conclude with a tribute to this year’s MLK Human Rights Award recipient Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis and the late activist Mrs. Maxine Smith. Dr. Aram Goudsouzian, chair of the Department of History and author of Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2014), will serve as emcee.

The event is co-sponsored by the University Libraries (with support from the Friends of the University Libraries), the Department of English, the Department of History, and the Center for Research on Women (CROW). Special thank you to Dr. Beverly Bond, Dr. Peggy Caffrey, Dr. Ladrica Menson-Furr, Dr. Sarah Potter, and Dr. Lynda Sagrestano for their scholarly contributions.

“Inspiring Women of the 1960s” was created in celebration of Women’s History Month and inspired by the “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: How Far Have We Come?” exhibition on view on the first and fourth floors of McWherter Library until June 15. For more information, please visit the Libraries’ online research guide.

The University Libraries commemorates the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with an exhibition of historical documents, newspaper clippings, and photographs from our collections. Displays on the first floor focus on the struggle for civil rights in the Mid-South, and the fourth floor display highlights the history of African American newspapers in Memphis with original digital collages of headlines from the year 1964.

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964: How Far Have We Come?” will be on view in the rotunda and on the fourth floor of McWherter Library until June 15, 2014. Free and open to the public.

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964: How Far Have We Come?” Reflection Project

We encourage you to reflect on the failures and triumphs of the tireless struggle for civil rights in the mid-20th century. How far have we come?

Please comment on this post or message theLibraries’ Facebook page. You can also visit the reflection tables located near the first and fourth floor displays in McWherter Library. Any comments you make may appear in the University Libraries’ publications and/or on the Twitter Feed, digital repository, and digital sign located in the rotunda of McWherter Library. Thank you for participating!

Lecture and exhibition opening
February 18
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Professor Daniel Kiel of the U of M Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will discuss his research and the creative process behind his documentary, The Memphis 13. The lecture will mark the opening of the exhibition, “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: How Far Have We Come?” on view in McWherter Library until June 15, 2014. Free and open to the public. Click here for more information and to RSVP.